Report 295
Report #295 Skillset: Ecology Skill: Familiarsting Org: Harbingers Status: Completed Feb 2010 Furies' Decision: Pets not stinging target will not decrease the time til stinging/berserking ends. Problem: FamiliarSting has a number of negative points that do not seem to justify the power cost to use. A familiar can be envenomed with 10 applications of a limited selection of venoms. The 3p sting must be initiated while you are in the room with your target and familiar, and takes a standard eq. The venoms fire once every 4 seconds, and can be shrugged. There are a number of ways for the ecologist to be separated from the familiar and followed by the target or for target and ecologist together to move away from the familiar, and consequently recalling it takes eq and there is some delay, at which point the sting is just wasted. 0 R: 0 Solution #1: Remove the power cost and remove equilibrium cost to use - keeping it as 10 venom applications at 4 second tics which can only be initiated when the target is in the room, and stops after 40 seconds. 0 R: 0 Solution #2: As Viynain comments, change the familiar to function more like other ents which can be ordered aggressive without using equilibrium or power and which can with a max of 50 venom applications, but lengthen the amount of time between stings. 0 R: 0 Solution #3: Player Comments: ---on 2/19 @ 03:47 writes: I would prefer solution 1 here. It was also suggested that bond recall itself not take eq, but I think that is a separate issue, potentially effecting tracking as well, so would prefer to address that in its own right at a later time if needed. ---on 2/19 @ 06:57 writes: I think that if any of these are implemented, they should probably also apply to FamiliarBerserk too. That said, wouldn't Solution 1 mean that given the EQ cost, the first couple of poison application/stings are wasted? ---on 2/20 @ 22:23 writes: I would personally prefer to just scrap the mechanical imbalances of the skill to simplify the ability as a method for an offense. As stated above, problems occur whereupon stings are wasted when there are no targets in the room, and ordering to initiate an already shruggable offense for power gets expensive for a power-heavy class. My suggestion is to remove the power cost and the equilibrium from ordering in exchange for dramatically slowing the 4s tic rate to 10s. Code it to be that familiars who are ordered to kill a target don't attempt to hit anything when there is no one in the room (so that there are no wasted poisons) and let Ecologists order aggressive regardless of a target being in the room. Bump up the 10 venom limit to 50 and I'd think it'd be a more viable passive afflicter then rather than what it is currently. I'd suggest giving Hunters Channels (or something equivalent) so that they can summon their familiars/dogs instantly without a balance loss as well to propagate the use of a passive familiar, but that's just my thought for the future. ---on 2/24 @ 17:51 writes: If solution 2, berserk will also need to be looked at... I think double fast stings for 10 tics would work. ---on 2/25 @ 06:54 writes: Solution 1 ---on 2/25 @ 08:17 writes: I do like Solution 1 more though. Slowing the tic when it's already shruggable doesn't sound very reliable.